aftr_ooc | TEST DRIVE MEME ( 021 )

Test Drive Meme #21

Hello, and welcome to LifeAftr! We're pleased that you're expressing an interest in the game. Here, you can test the waters, gauge how your character may fare in the world of LifeAftr, and even gain some in-game incentives, if you so choose.

In conjunction with our monthly Test Drive Meme, Reserves are now open! Applications will open on March 24th!

Two important notes:

1. LifeAftr's test drives take place on the island of Mu, which exists apart from the real world and possesses a dream-like quality that characters are innately aware of from the moment they appear on its shores. No need to panic or fret. Dreams are odd things, after all - and anything can happen in them. Why would anyone question where their mind chooses to wander in its sleep?

2. Due to the nature of Mu, threads in our test drive can not only be accepted as thread samples in your application, but can be accepted as game canon as well. In fact, certain choices your character makes in Mu have the potential to bear in-game consequences, largely in the form of test drive reward items.

Come to Ink Of It
Mu is a strange land, and one that seems to take a conscious interest in the activities conducted upon the waking world. This month, its fixation takes an almost childish delight in emulating the ink-spattered wars and hazing that have occured on Ensō's shores - which is to say, Mu would absolutely enjoy a charming little game of Splatoon.

When you wake, it's in a labyrinth of soft, stonelike material that manages to be the rough consistency of foam. If you take the time to inspect it, you'll discover that it's as good at cushioning blows as it is serving as adequate cover...and it appears to have been shaped into plenty of buildings and barricades, threaded throughout the cavernous room in which you've found yourself. In fact, the whole place looks very much like a battlefield of some kind.

In case you didn't get the picture, the paint gun in your hands should give you an inkling. Colors may be up to personal preference, but the rules are simple - solo, in a team, or as a double agent, your goal is to paint the town red, or blue, or purple, until victory is tasted in the form of aesthetic domination.

Do keep in mind, however, that battle cries may be a double-edged sword in this scenario. Unless you wanted green teeth.

I AM THE SHADOW, THE TRUE

-looks at smudged writing on hand-

...SHELF

What's more trouble than the true manifestation of all your darkest fears, desires, and secrets? The manifestation of all of the above that's just - not very well-made. In order for a shadow, a true self, to appear, one really should know themself somewhat consciously. Of course, this also applies true to the world in which they're standing; an effort Mu is willing to make, but not quite hitting the mark.

And by "not quite hitting the mark," we mean egregiously.

"Shadows" are an off-brand simulation of what one might expect during a typical shadow event, though their attempts at acting like the character they should be are closer to emulating the opposite. Whether based upon a looser definition of canon, a fanon-style iteration of what your character might have been in worse hands, or simply going in a direction that veers into the territory of edgy Harry Potter OCs, your "Shadow" is here, and ready to be a nuisance.

Unlike ordinary Shadows, a "Shadow" cannot be accepted and dissipate as one would hope. Respite from these garish versions of who you really are will come only upon waking. So until then, enjoy attempting to explain just what, precisely, is dogging your every step, and probably refusing to shut up all the while. Though granted, if they share any of your powers - grossly magnified or otherwise - you might be grappling with them in far more ways than one.

A Bug's Eye View
The lush, verdant shores and the peaceful population of newly-arrived island of Cahypdo have been noticeably present on the minds of the islanders lately. Mu has shifted to reflect those thoughts, but as with many things Mu reflects, things have become a little...skewed. For, you see, the native inhabitants of Cahypdo are the Roaka, and as tree-people, they tower over much of the current inhabitants. They range from six to twelve feet in height, generally, but it seems that their heights have left a....very marked impression.

The Roaka certainly tower over you now, even more than before - but so does everything else. Wherever you find yourself in the verdant, fertile valley that houses much of Cahypdo's plantlife - whether it's rich jungles or well-tended farmland - you'll be met with the same undeniable height difference.

Trees are dizzying heights to be scaled the same way a mountain might. Blades of grass and colourful flowers you might once have trodden on without a second thought are like a forest unto themselves. And the fields of crops you might have known from the waking world, like sweetcorn, peas, and tomatoes? Even a single ear of corn or a solitary tomato is now a much, much larger obstacle.

Just pray you don't run into any of the native creatures here, as even ordinary beasts can become potential dangers when they're all the size of giants relative to you, and can stamp you to jelly without so much as a second glance. Snaplings might regard you as a tasty little snack, tigerlilies might think you make for a fun little toy, and worst of all, the native Cahypdo entities known as hydrac, warped hybrids of sharks and dragons, might very well decide that you'd be a fine addition to their hoards.

There's a lot to look out for, when you're this small and the world is this big.

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Oh... that's a first. The only person that had ever talked about protecting Niko back in that other place had been...

...Still--]

P--Please don't get hurt for my sake... or um, hurt them--I don't think they mean to be causing harm, but...

[If this can be solved peacefully without a fight, Niko would prefer that option the most.]

Fear not. I will be safe. And I shall not harm them.

[She thinks: what would Frisk do? What did she teach them to do? And she knows immediately - strike up a friendly conversation.

Her expression changes. She looks up at the tigerlily with a smile.]

Oh, we are playing now? What a good kitty you are.

[She walks backwards, keeping out of the tigerlily's range and waving an arm to get its attention towards her. For good measure, she makes a flame in her paw as a sort of flare, waving it around too - cats are attracted to strange lights, after all.]

Come here, kitty! Let us play!

[All she has to do is get it to drop the child, one way or another... if she can tire it out, or even get it so frustrated that they let go of the child to try and grab her, that's all she needs. Just a moment.]

[The tigerlily's eyes go wide upon seeing the flare in her hands--it is very bright and shiny, and flickering...

At first, it still maintains a hold on Niko as it attempts to stalk closer to get a better look at it, but their new playmate keeps moving out of the tigerlily's range. Not even swiping a paw at it seems to be working here...

Finally, it seems to get frustrated enough to finally attempt to pounce right at her: in the force of it's pounce however, it loosens it's grip on Niko. Enough for the child to get free as they now begin to fall to the ground from where they had been previously restrained by the creature's teeth digging into their clothing...]

[There - exactly what she was looking for! Putting her all into it, and not unlike a baseball player going for home plate, she simultaneously dissipates the fire and dives out of the way of the tigerlily's pounce, under the space where she estimates the child is going to fall. She sticks her paws out to catch them.

It works, just barely. The tigerlily's paws swing over her, almost catching her, but she manages to catch the child out of the air. The only thing worse for wear is her robes (which are now caked in dirt).

As quickly as she can, she gets to her feet and starts running to the nearest location that looks safe - a sea of tall grass where they can hopefully hide from the tigerlily.

Quietly, she whispers to the child:] Are you alright, little one? You are not hurt, are you?

I'm okay, but what about you? You didn't get hurt, did you?

[Even when Niko is the one in need of help, they can't help but put others before their own needs first.]

[Putting others above themselves... reminds her of her someone she knows. She doesn't quite believe them when they say they're unhurt - her other children also claimed many times they were uninjured or not sick when they actually were. She gets the impression this child is the same way.

Truthfully, she thinks, she did get mildly hurt when she got knocked onto her back by the tigerlily. But it's hardly what she would call a serious injury - and even if it was, she would never concern a child over it.]

Do not fret - I am uninjured. But that creature... it was treating you like a toy. I must make sure you are truly safe.

[She pauses from running to look around herself and see if the tigerlily is still stalking them, but is relieved to see that the coast is apparently clear. In all reality, continually running is probably not smart, as it causes the grass to shift and reveals their cover - it would be better for them not to move for a little while.

With that in mind, she gently sets the child down. Almost immediately, without even thinking much of it, she puts her paws a few inches away from the child's body and her paws begin to glow with green magic. If Niko stays where they are, they should be painlessly and quickly healed of even the tiniest scatch with nothing more than a light tingling sensation.]

This should help you feel better, little one.

[Oh... that does feel better, actually. Even though Niko didn't hit the ground in the fall, they can feel all the tension and scratches from the tigerlily's rough attempt at playing with them beginning to fade away...]

Wow, thank you so much! That was amazing!

[Toriel looks pleased. She smiles down at the child.] Think nothing of it, little one.

Oh! I just realized we have not been properly introduced. I am Toriel. What is your name, child? And, if you do not mind me asking, what pronouns do you use?

"Pronouns"?

[Niko has never known that there was actually a word for what one a person might use to identify themselves. They consider how to answer this, before they answer with--]

Niko... is Niko!

[... so... they/them pronouns, in other words??]

And it's nice to meet you, Miss Toriel. Thank you for saving me back there!

[Toriel laughs, a soft, gentle laugh, at that. It reminds her very much of one of the fallen children - the one who dressed in purple and wrote in their notebook instead of speaking. They said almost the exact same thing when she asked them what they preferred to be called - "Percy is just Percy."]

Niko is Niko... I quite like that.

It is a pleasure to meet you as well, my dear Niko. [She looks around.] Yet I am afraid to admit that I am quite lost. You live here, do you not? You would not happen to know of a safe place to find lodging?

I'm sorry, but I don't know. I don't even know where we are, actually.

[it's not home, and it's definitely not that other world, on account of there being a sun in the sky...]

[She smiles softly down at Niko.]

Do not worry, little Niko. It is alright. This is not like any place I have ever been to - we both seem to be very far from the Underground. Yet I am sure we will be able to find a safe place once this danger clears, and then we will be able to return home.

[The Underground? Niko isn't familiar with it, but...]

I hope so. I don't want to worry my Mom, so I want to get back home soon.

[She laughs softly.]

What a coincidence - I want to go home because I do not want to worry my child!

[oh, what a good mom!]

Then let's work together so that we can get back home right away!

TEST DRIVE MEME ( 021 )

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